SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 150

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 150: Prologue (3)

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-Hey, what a magnificent library.

There once existed a being named 'The Pond Where Memories Gather'. Humans couldn't pronounce its name properly. 'The Pond Where Memories Gather' was merely a name cobbled together by humans.

Its true pronunciation was ■■■■■. Just as humans did not choose their names with the prospect of being addressed by crickets in mind, ■■■■■ felt no need to make its name pronounceable by humans. Softened as much as possible, the pronunciation would be close to 'Hamusutra.'

-The atmosphere is nice too. The collection of books is impressive.

Hamusutra.

That's how humans called 'The Pond Where Memories Gather'.

-I gladly acknowledge you, ■■■■■.

But the human in front of it was different.

-Of all the libraries I've visited, this one is definitely the best.

This human spoke the Dragon Tongue freely. That alone was remarkable. The Pond Where Memories Gather had always been a curious being, so it had reason enough to show that lowly creature a little goodwill and curiosity.

Provided, of course, we ignore the fact that this human was the very first visitor to this library.

-Who are you?

Far too many motley smells clung to the human. It was peculiar. The stench of a dragon came from the visitor, yet this was no dragon. There were traces of a god as well, yet this was no god either.

'The Pond Where Memories Gather' had never encountered a being like the one before it.

-How did you come to be here?

A natural wariness tinged its voice.

-I never permitted entry. This is my world. State your purpose, stranger.

-I'm not a book thief. Please don't be too wary.

The human chuckled.

-This humble one is something like an insurance agent. I am visiting beings such as yourself one by one and trying to persuade each of you.

-I asked you about your purpose.

-This humble one is building a house. Or perhaps I should call it a vacation home? If I am the landlord, you could say I am trying to persuade you to become a tenant.

*The first character of villa in korean is the same character as “stars”.

Again, the human chuckled.

-.......

The Pond Where Memories Gather was annoyed. For the first time in thousands of years, perhaps more than four times that long, it felt annoyance. It loved every character in a book, villain and hero alike, and bestowed equal affection upon obnoxious people and pleasant people, but reality was a very different story.

'The Pond Where Memories Gather' was a great being. What defined greatness might vary, but as far as the 'Pond' interpreted it, true greatness hinged on whether one could kill annoying things or not.

-How annoying. Begone.

Today, the 'Pond' chose to be great again. It exerted its power lightly.

Within the library, the Pond's power was absolute. Ordinary humans, and even outlaws said to have attained transcendence, could only be torn apart and reduced to dust. The Pond was confident. Long ago, before it became quite so tremendously great, it had turned a fair number of things into dust.

-Ah. My apologies.

But the human before it wasn't affected.

Completely unharmed.

-This humble one got a little carried away by the mood. Still, could you talk with me a little longer? It was a fair amount of trouble getting here. Good grief, the traffic was backed up and the roads were terrible...

'The Pond Where Memories Gather' was shocked to realize its greatness had no effect.

It was a tremendous shock.

The shock was so tremendous that the Pond retreated into denial. That last attack had not used its full power. Invalid. It deserved to be treated as though it had never happened. Having completed this flawless exercise in self-justification, the Pond attacked the human again.

-Speaking of which, I must say. Doesn't this library have any doors? Is this a library or a tomb? At least put in some windows. It's suffocating. I can hardly breathe.

The human was still completely fine.

-Should I open some for you?

In fact, the human even made a hole in the library's wall. Smiling broadly.

-Ah. Now it's a bit more ventilated.

'The Pond Where Memories Gather' was dumbfounded.

-What the hell is this?

It was the first curse the 'Pond' had uttered in thousands upon thousands of years.

This library was not merely a space. It was the Pond's body and soul. Thus, the human's ability to punch a hole through the library wall meant the human could also stick a knife into the Pond's gut. The Pond was competent enough to infer that much, and smart enough to dislike getting stabbed.

-Alright! I surrender. What do you want from me?

-I want everything about you...

-Kill me instead!

-Ah. Should I? Is it okay to kill you?

-.......

The 'Pond' was quite smart. Smart enough to realize the human before it was insane.

-You do not want to die after all, do you? Of course. Life is precious. Now then, this humble one would like to help you too. Please sign here so that you may protect your precious life.

It was unfortunate for the 'Pond' that the lunatic before it possessed power beyond imagination.

-What is this...?

-It's a contract.

-May I ask what kind of contract it is?

-Oh, of course. I'm not some thug.

Even though they weren't a thug, they were very similar to one, but the 'Pond' didn't point it out. In other words, the 'Pond' was smart. It knew what could be said and what couldn't.

-This humble one is building a tower.

Tower.

-I'm going to invite beings like you. I'll even allow those creatures you call lowly to enter.

The 'Pond' carefully read the contract. Its expression changed as it read.

At first, it thought the human before it was a lawless lunatic who had come to seize the library. The human was indeed lawless. Mad, too.

But not a plunderer.

The contract was filled with enticing offers.

-You'll grant me the right to observe all worlds? Really?

-All worlds would be asking too much. Only the worlds in which this humble one can intervene.

-...And these secret clauses?

-Those you must strictly adhere to.

The decision wasn't difficult.

Instead, curiosity deepened.

-Why start such a venture?

It wondered.

-For what purpose? What benefit is there for you?

-No being is born of their own will.

The human smiled.

-Everyone should have a chance to live one more life. They might not live as they wished, but they should live because they wish to.

The 'Pond' couldn't easily understand the human's smile.

-Someday, you too will live once again. Holed-Up Head Librarian.

That statement too.

"......."

The Head Librarian stared up at me in a daze.

Did they not understand my words? Or did they understand but their mind was overwhelmed? Either way was fine. I didn't rush the Head Librarian and waited for them.

"Climb the tower together with you all...?"

After a long while, the Head Librarian murmured.

"Th-this lord is not an ordinary Constellation. Unlike the ghost possessing you or the Holy Sword placed under your command, I am a proper Constellation responsible for a stage. My standing is fairly high, appearances notwithstanding... To belong to one particular tower. That would... Then..."

"What would happen then?"

"......I do not know. I have no idea. There's no precedent in the history of the tower."

The Head Librarian trembled.

"There have been cases where a Constellation was captivated by a warrior and volunteered to become their attendant. Quite a few, in fact. Just as you swallowed the [Demon King of the Autumn Rain] through [Ghoul Reincarnation], there have also been cases where a warrior took in a Constellation. But... But I have never even heard of a Constellation becoming a hunter outright..."

"It'll be the first case on record, then."

"......."

"Hamusutra. Don't live in a place like this."

I looked around.

The graveyard of books.

Traces of worlds gone by accumulate here. That's all there is. In this place, time does not flow; only the breaths of others and stories born from different worlds are sealed here.

'It's familiar.'

A place that merely longs for or envies the worlds of others.

'It's a place I'm familiar with. This place.'

I thought of the room I lived in before regression.

My room too was plastered with pictures and interviews of the Flame Emperor.

Though the difference in scale was so great that comparing it to the Great Library felt embarrassing.

'The essence is the same.'

That's why I can say it.

"Now step into the ring yourself."

You must come out from here.

"Living in places like this all the time is why you keep getting stranger."

"S-strange..."

"Revelations record people's lives. Reading them may make you feel as if you understand those people, but you do not. Hamusutra, do you know how [The Veritable Records of the Heavenly Demon] described the end of its world?"

The Revelations described Master's death like this:

「Suddenly a mysterious illness spread, and the Heavenly Demon died」.

"What's that?"

"......"

"It's meaningless. Utterly meaningless."

How the Master looked in her final moments, how the disciples screamed, how hard the children by the river worked to dig up the soft mud - none of this can be known just by reading the Revelations.

You cannot know.

"But, but!"

Hamusutra countered.

"This lord can see it. Watch it. Observe it!"

"Yes."

I readily agreed.

"You can enter the worlds directly and observe. When Master passed away, you must have felt sorrow, just like I did. I don't doubt that."

"Then, there shouldn't be any problem......!"

"But you weren't as sad as I was."

"......"

"When Master unleashed the final technique of the Divine Art of the Demonic Heaven, you must have held your breath too. When the Sword Emperor countered it and split that moment apart, you must have felt awe. But everything you felt was nothing more than 'appreciation.'"

Squeeze.

I held Hamusutra's hand, pulling them closer.

"You must love Raviel too. You must like her. But you know, you can never love her as much as I love Raviel."

"......"

"You're just tasting it. Sitting in the world of this library. Never having stepped onto the stage of your own life, just being an audience. If you like the show, you clap; if not, you yawn. That's all."

"This lord..."

"Live with us."

Hamusutra flinched.

"Th-this lord is bound by a strict contract. If I joined a particular tower or committed such a violation of the rules, the 'Tower' would surely impose sanctions. I would probably lose all my powers as a Constellation... Then I would be useless. Of no use to you at all."

"It's not about that."

"......"

"You know."

"......"

"Hamusutra."

I looked straight at the person before me.

"You once dreamed of dying by the hands of Constellation Killer. Now abandon that dream. I will give you a new dream. It won't always be pleasant, often more like a nightmare. You'll want to erase it many times. But if you wish. If you want, I will be in that dream."

I said.

"Live a life with me."

"......"

"You will appear in my story, and I will appear in yours, so that we can call ourselves 'us.'"

Hamusutra's lips trembled violently. An even more tremulous left hand slipped inside the front of their clothes. In that hand was a book older than [Leafanta Aegim's Epic].

■■■■■

I couldn't read the title.

A language from another world, beyond our reading.

The Holed-Up Head Librarian, now Hamusutra, slowly handed me the book containing their life.

"King of Death..."

"Yes."

"I, as a reader, will give you my final advice. I am your biggest fan. There is and will be no reader who loves you more than me. So, please remember."

"I'll listen."

"If you keep throwing flirtation like that at everyone, people may misunderstand, so please save that silver tongue for Duke Ivansia alone. Otherwise, King of Death, Duke Ivansia may pierce your heart someday..."

"I've already died like that once. But, alright. I'll keep it in mind."

"King of Death..."

"Yes."

"Is living as a human... enjoyable?"

Hamusutra was afraid.

I smiled.

"It sucks."

I grabbed [■■■■■].

"But even sucky things can taste good when chewed. Sometimes it breaks your teeth, but I'll help you."

"Damn it..."

Hamusutra sobbed.

"To think this is the final line of my Revelation..."

Hamusutra grabbed the spine of the book, and I grasped the cover.

"It is not easy for life to unfold like a work of fiction. Deal with it."

We opened the final revelation.

Hamusutra spoke with a voice mixed with fear and sobbing, bravely.

"The King of Death and the Holed-Up Head Librarian. I hereby designate the aforementioned two individuals as characters in [■■■■■]. The difficulty of this Revelation is Undecided. When you open your eyes, you will find there a story being serialized to great acclaim..."

"When we open our eyes, it will be just like here."

"......That's right."

Hamusutra looked up at me.

At that moment.

"I hereby declare the stage cleared."

Paah!

A white light enveloped us.

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